1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus of providing haptic effect using a plurality of vibrators in a portable terminal, and in particular, to a method and apparatus of providing three-dimensional haptic effect according to a user's input position using a plurality of vibrators.
2. Description of the Related Art
A visual or auditory information is used in a conventional computer technology; however, a user demands more and more specific and realistic information. To meet such demand, therefore, a haptic technology transferring tactile information has been developed. The term ‘haptic’ designates a computer tactile technology, and derives from the Greek adjective ‘haptesthai’, which means ‘contact or touch’.
The haptic technology includes a force feedback allowing a user to feel a force and a sense of motion, and a tactile feedback technology allowing a user to feel an object. The haptic technology is being widely applied to various fields such as a game simulator and a medical simulator.
In the advent of Internet and computer technologies, a number of portable terminals provide functions using the haptic technology to enrich consumer's experience. Herein, the portable terminal may include a cell phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a digital camera, a portable game machine, an MP3 player, and the like. For example, a recently launched cell phone provides a technology capable of allowing a user to feel data input through vibration by generating a specific vibration pattern depending on a touched position of a screen.
A conventional portable terminal provides a haptic effect by controlling a vibration pattern or vibration strength using a single vibrator included in the terminal. However, in general, there is a limitation in the vibration pattern and vibration strength that can be generated using a single vibrator that meets a user's various demands and tastes.